With Or Without You
by CryssieM
Summary: Everyone knows the two belong together, only Kate doesn't see it. Will she ever admit the truth? Will a kiss make her change her mind for better?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: The show and characters belong to ABC, I just borrowed them for fun. However, I wish I owned Rick Castle. :P :)  
**Pairing**: Castle/Beckett  
**Rating**: K+  
**Summary**: Everyone knows the two belong together, only Kate doesn't see it. Will she ever admit the truth? Will a kiss make her change her mind for better?  
**AN**: The story is set around Christmas time, but it's NOT a holiday fic. I just couldn't get the mistletoe idea out of my mind. :) So you can read it even if you're not in mood for holiday fics.  
Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed my very first Castle fic, this one is for you. Hope you'll enjoy this as much as I've enjoyed writing it.  
Thanks a lot to my fabolous beta, Emily for her help and encouragement. This story is dedicated to you in first place. :)

* * *

"Beckett, Castle," Captain Montgomery called. "This is going to be a one time event. It's not like the 12th precinct is given an honour every day. I expect you to be there at the party tonight." His tone allowed no refusal.

Kate, frowning, glimpsed at Castle who was beaming at the prospect of attending the precinct's Christmas party with the detective. Not again. She didn't like the idea of having Castle by her side for the evening – the smug smile and high-class attitude while strolling around, following in her wake.

"You can count on us." Castle flashed a confident grin at their superior.

"Good," Montgomery noted and entered his office.

"Captain," Kate followed him into the room, shutting the door right before Castle could have joined them. "Castle is not a cop. Is it really necessary him to attend the party?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.

"Detecive Beckett, like it or not, our mystery writer has helped to solve many of our cases, so he has kind of earned the officer of honour title. Besides, the Mayor's going to present the award, so the least we can do is show him that we appreciate his protégé. And if you have to stroll around arm in arm with Castle to satisfy the Mayor, you'll do so. The precinct needs his support. If he's-"

"...-happy, we're happy," Kate finished the well-known sentence unenthusiastically. Damn you, Castle, she cursed the writer's prominent connections.

"That's it," he approved her words, sitting down at his desk.

*

"Seems like you're going to be my date for tonight." Castle's elbow was on Kate's desk, his stare impossible to avoid. His blue eyes were bright and the typical Castle grin was plastered on his face.

"I'm not your date," Kate snapped, giving hin a sharp look, "It's strictly work."

"That's what they call it these days?" he raised a brow. "Yet, I prefer the word 'date'. Or 'rendezvous'. That's more mysterious and romantic," he pondered aloud.

"Which part of the 'I'm not your date' didn't you understand?" She glared at him.

"Ouch, Beckett. You're so grumpy today," Rick pouted, lounging in the chair. "You could really do with some fun." He didn't take his eyes off of her.

His ringing phone interrupted the bickering, and Kate was glad that his attention was finally averted away from her and tonight's plans. Sighing, she took a large sip of her coffee and opened the case file in front of her. She couldn't explain why she was this tense these days. The writer's annoying presence must have had to do with it for sure. Never vote for this Mayor again, she made a mental note. She was staring at the lines of the report but couldn't concentrate; the words were a mere blur. Men always made a woman's life complicated, but this bestselling mystery writer could top all males she had known.

She sneaked a quick glance at him, which he noticed. He flashed a mischievous smile at her in return. Shutting the phone, he leaned toward her; his blue eyes sparkling like ice in sunshine.

"I'll make this evening worth it, promise," he whispered huskily.

Kate could feel the warmth of his breath on her face, and his voice made a shiver run down her spine. She hated her body reacting that way. He might have annoyed her to death, but she had to admit that he did it with style. He wasn't called a lady's man for no reason.

"You won't regret being my date," Rick murmured, the charming smile still on his face. He was always aware of the effect he had on the weaker sex, and he absolutely enjoyed Kate's reaction too. She was a challenge, and he liked it.

"Keep on dreaming, Castle." Snapping out of the spell, the detective gave him a sugary smile. "The only reason why I don't shoot you is that, thanks to my superiors, I'm stuck with you on the cases. But that doesn't mean I can't make you suffer."

"So you like it rough, huh?" Castle grinned. "Always suspected you're the dominatrix type. With the handcuffs and gun...," he wiggled his eyebrow mischieviously. "My offer is still on." he stuck out his tongue suggestively. "You may spank me anytime."

Her face flushing, Kate so wanted to slap him right there. "You're disgusting, Castle," she uttered contemptuously while her eyes alone could have kill him.

"Might be, but I swear you'd enjoy it," he smirked, emerging from the chair. Leaning closer to her one more time before leaving, he whispered into her ear, "I'm sure I would."

*

"They're so Nikki Heat and Jameson Rook," Ryan noted, watching Beckett and Castle from his desk.

"You've read Castle's new book!" Esposito grinned at his partner in surprise. "You're a bigger fan of his than I thought!"

"Well, he is a good writer, there's no doubt about that," he shrugged.

"You're not the only fan of his here," Esposito smirked, not taking his gaze off of the sight of Beckett and Castle.

"I bet that they'll kiss tonight," Ryan cast a confident glance at his colleague.

Esposito raised a brow at him, suggestively. "You do?"

"50 bucks they will."

He grinned. "50 bucks they won't."

"Deal."

"Right"

"Anyone else in on the bet?"

"Yeah, why not?" Esposito shrugged. "The more, the merrier," he grinned.

"What's up, guys?" Lanie Parish, the medical examiner, stepped towards their desk.

The two men exchanged a knowing smirk.

"Hey, Lanie, do you feel like joining in for some fun?"

*

"Arrogant, smug bastard," grumbling, Kate threw the wet towel onto her bed and ruffled her hair.

"So it's Castle again," Lanie noted with a sigh of resignation. "What has that poor guy done this time?"

"Poor guy?? Whose side you're on, Lanie?" Beckett raised her brow reproachfully, pulling a cocktail dress out of the wardrobe.

"You know I'm with you, but... Come on, give this guy a break. He's not that bad."

"Oh thank you! My best friend is the devil's advocate in disguise," Kate sneered. "You should hook up with him if you feel so sorry for him."

"Believe me, I'd give it a try once he finally takes his eyes off of you," the M.E. watched the detective adjusting her dress. The pine-green velvet dress hugged Kate's figure perfectly, emphasizing her curves in all the right places. "But once he sees you in this dress, I don't have a chance," she pouted in amazement.

Turning to the mirror, Kate had to admit that the dress looked nice on her indeed. Frowning, she reached for the zipper to undo it, when Lanie jumped up from the bed and stopped her.

"What are you doing??"

"I'm not going to wear this dress when he's all about making double-entendres," Kate scowled.

"Oh yes you are," Lanie looked into her eyes firmly. "Give the guy a run for his money."

Glancing back at her reflection, Kate contemplated the M.E.'s words for a moment. She wanted to give Castle a hard time, and if her dress would be part of that, let it be.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you very much for the nice reviews! I hope you'll like this chapter too :)

* * *

Kate insisted on meeting up with Lanie before the party, displeasing Castle who begrudgingly agreed to see her when she arrived. Being the gentleman who picks up his date at her house, the prospect of missing that gesture this time made him uneasy. With a glass of champagne in his hand, he was chatting with Ryan and Esposito until Kate and Lanie arrived.

"Wow," Ryan uttered while taking a glimpse at the writer to see his reaction. Pleased with the amazement on Castle's face, he smiled broadly about the odds being in his favor.

Yeah, wow, Rick agreed in his mind, taking in the gorgeous sight before him. The green velvet accentuating Beckett's lovely curves, the length of the dress showing her shapely legs, he couldn't tear his eyes away from the detective. She was more beautiful than at the launch party for Heat Wave or the bookstore reading.

When Lanie glimpsed the group of men, she nudged Kate and they walked up to their colleagues.

"Hey guys," the M.E. smiled, grabbing a glass of champagne from a plate nearby.

"Miss Parish," Castle raised his glass before turning to Kate, smiling, "Detective Beckett." Clinking their glasses, his look lingered on her for a moment longer. Her make-up was perfect - the green eyeshadow emphasized her beautiful eyes, and her deep burgundy lipstick followed the contour of the full lips. She was mesmerizing this evening.

"You're beautiful tonight," the writer complimented the ladies of the precinct. He addressed the appreciation to both women, but was looking at Beckett the whole time.

She felt his stare burning her and a blush flushing her face.

Ryan and Esposito exchanged a conspiratory smirk. Ryan's smile was a bit wider, Castle's attitude favouring him winning the bet.

Captain Montgomery came on the stage, clearing his throat to call attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen, dear colleagues of the 12th precinct," he addressed the crowd. "Welcome to the precinct's Christmas party, an evening to celebrate and have fun. This has been a hard year, but we have overcome the obstacles and achieved success. I'm proud of you all; you did a great job. I'm proud of being the Captain of this precinct as you all are committed and skilled officers. I'd like to take the opportunity to thank everyone for the hard work and all the effort you put forth to solve the cases. Above all, I'm pleased to announce a special guest of our celebration, someone who would also like to thank you for your work. Ladies and Gentleman, welcome the Mayor." Stepping aside, he let the head of the district take his place in front of the microphone.

After greeting the audience, the Mayor appreciated the diligance of the 12th precinct in his speech. Praising the detectives and experts, he congratulated the precinct to have earned the honour he was going to hand over to the Captain.

Loud cheers and applause erupted in the audience as Captain Montgomery lifted the shiny plaquette proudly.

The Mayor left the stage; he immediately strolled to Castle, the friend he had spotted in the crowd during his speech.

"Rick!" he greeted the author delightfully. "It's not quite the event we usually bump into each other at," he grinned playfully.

Richard returned the smirk with a wink. "Life is full of surprises."

Bob laughed, and then turned to Kate by Rick's side. "Detective Beckett, glad to see you again. We missed your company at the poker table last time."

"I'm not sure everyone shares this feeling," Kate smiled, glancing at Castle.

"Come on, Beckett," Rick teased her. "I like the challenge of making you lose."

"You'de better wipe that smug grin off your face, Castle. You're so gonna lose next time," her eyes sparkled playfully.

"Do us a favour, Detective," the Mayor said to Kate, "beat off his pants next time."

"Oh yeah, Beckett," Richard played on, leaning closer to Kate, "strip me of my pants."

She felt the blush creeping to her face, his husky voice sending a shiver down her spine.

"Be careful what you wish for," she sent him a warning, confident glance.

The tension was palpable between them, and the Mayor enjoyed watching the two.

"Detective, may I ask you for a dance?" smiling, he turned to Kate.

"Sure," she answered, honoured to be asked by the first man in the city.

Bob set his glass on the table and took her hand in his.

"Borrowing your partner for a while," he noted to Rick before leading Kate

to the dance floor.

Rick returned an approving smile and took a large sip of his champagne to ease the jealousy.

*

"She is very pretty tonight." Ryan stepped beside Castle, his gaze following the dancing couple.

"Mm-mm," Castle murmured approvingly, not tearing his eyes away from Kate.

"What man wouldn't like to be close to her," Ryan mused. "I don't blame you if you can't take your eyes off of her."

"What?" Rick turned his head toward the detective, waggling a brow in confusion.

Kevin Ryan chuckled. "I'm not blind, mate. She is smart, sexy and can drive one crazy. And you know what? You are a perfect match for her."

"You want to say I'm smart and sexy too?" Castle grinned.

"I'd rather go for the 'you can drive one crazy' part."

Rick pouted.

"Whatever," Ryan said, "I like you, man, so here's something to help you get closer to her." He pulled a little bunch of mistletoe from behind his back.

Castle eyed him suspiciously.

"You know how to use it, right?" Ryan smirked.

"Sorry to disappoint you, man, but I won't stand under it with you," Rick claimed, "You don't have the curves I like."

"Good luck, Castle," the detective chuckled and, patting the writer's arm, left him alone.

Richard stared at the mistletoe in his hand for a moment, thinking. The mischievious boy in him cheered at the thought of playing this tradition on Beckett. He was very curious to see her reaction. Could he take her off-guard?

He walked to the still dancing couple, the flower hidden in the pocket of his coat. "Bob, you don't mind if I cut in, do you?" he smirked. "I must talk to my partner."

"How can I compete with the master of words, even more a make-shift detective?" the Mayor asked the rhetorical question with a helpless smile.

"My place, this Friday, 8pm," Rick pointed a finger at him, a wide smirk plastered on his face. "But don't dream of winning over me!"

"Do not forget what I told you about his pants!" Bob reminded Kate conspiringly before leaving the two alone.

The writer resumed Bob's position with Kate, taking her hand in his while the other rested on the small of her back.

"So what was so important that you had to interrupt my dance with the most prominent man in the city?" Beckett raised a brow mockingly.

"Why complain, I'm here!" he flashed one of his charming grins at her.

"I have never met such a presumptuous man like you, Castle," she cast him a disapproving glance. "So what was so important?"

"I just wanted to dance with my date," he smirked.

A new song started, She Bangs by Ricky Martin, and Castle twirled Beckett around swiftly. When being in his arms again, all flushed and taken by surprise at the sudden move, she gave him a dirty look.

"I. Am. Not. Your. Date," she frowned at him, her eyes piercing his.

"You're so sexy when you're angry," he grinned, holding her gaze. Yet before she could have retorted, he dipped her deeply, making her gasp. Holding her like that for a moment longer than he should have, Kate felt like she was about to lose her balance. In order to support herself, she hooked her leg around his. Her heel digging into his calf, he winced, but didn't move. The smirk didn't fade off his face either, and his eyes still held hers.

"You'll so pay for this," she hissed, digging her heel deeper into his calf.

"Ouch," Rick winced in pain and pulled her up into standing position.

Kate grinned victoriously. "That was just a taste of what's to come."

"Oh yeah?" he wiggled his brow at her, "What about giving me another kind of taste?"

Confusion flashed through her face, and her look darkened as soon as he lifted the mistletoe above them, a big smirk plastered in the corner of his mouth.

"Don't you dare...," she warned him menacingly.

Miraciously, Ryan, Esposito and Parish gathered around them immediately, watching and waiting.

"Come on, you can't break the tradition," Ryan called Kate, grinning like a Chesire cat.

Castle sent him a knowing, mocking look, realizing what the male detective's real intentions were when having given him a helping hand.

"You did it, didn't you?" he asked the rhethorical question. looking at their colleagues in amusement. He didn't need a reply, though; he already knew the answer from their looks.

Kate's eyes widened in shock. "Lanie, you too??"

The M.E. blushed at being caught and she smiled guiltily.

"I'm innocent," Esposito claimed, holding up his hands when Kate's eyes caught his.

"What's going on here?" the Mayor joined the little group, but when he glimpsed the mistletoe in Rick's hand, everything was clear. "Oh, that's what was so important," he chuckled. "You're forgiven, Ricky."

"Why is everyone against me??" Kate frowned, squirming to get out of Castle's hold.

"Against you?" Lanie retorted, "Not polishing his ego," she glimpsed at the writer, "but it's Richard Castle, hello? What woman wouldn't want to be kissed by him?"

"Why thank you, Parish," Rick smiled at her charmingly; "I owe you one."

Lanie blushed, her eyes lighting up.

"Good, then Lanie can have mine, too," Kate concluded firmly, struggling against him stubbornly.

"Sorry, but there are rules of the game," Ryan cut in, "so come on!"

"No way, I'll never-" Beckett protested vehemently, but her resistance was broken down by Castle pulling her into a kiss with a firm move.

Ryan, Lanie and Bob cheered loudly in union while Esposito grimaced in defeat, but even he was kind of pleased inside.

Castle's mouth brushed against Kate's demandingly, his arms holding her close. Her lips tasted like cherry while the scent of her vanilla perfume filled his nose. Her soft lips against his felt so right, and he wondered what they would feel like if she didn't resist him. This closeness was intoxicating; he couldn't get enough of the sensation.

Breaking away from her after a long moment, Castle grinned at their audience thriumphantly. But before he could have turned his head back to Kate, she slapped him hard, her eyes flashing with anger. Shaking his hands off of her, she moved away from him, and sending a reproachful and betrayed look at the others, she left the room.

"So, what was it like?" Ryan inquired when Castle joined them.

Rubbing his cheek in pain, he winced, "It hurts, but it was so worth it," he grinned.


	3. Chapter 3

Again thank you very much for the reviews and appreciative words. I'm happy you like this fic. :)

As always, big thank you to **Emily** (phalangesbyfive), my beta, for her help and support. Also special thanks to **Larissa95**, **Heavensrosechild **and **Nathan fan** for the compliment. *hugs*

* * *

The triumph slowly fading, Rick became worried about Kate not showing up at the party anymore. He asked even the Captain about her, but no one seemed to know her whereabouts. She must have been really furious with him, he reckoned. He tried to call her on her mobile, but either it rang till the voicemail turned on, or it was giving him the signal of a busy line. He was sure she was simply refusing to talk to him and didn't wonder when, at the next try, he only got her voicemail.

"_Beckett_," he decided to leave a message after a deep sigh, "_it's Castle. I know I'm the last person you want to hear now, but... you disappeared so quickly, and... we are worried about you... I just wanted to know if you're all right._"

As soon as he ended the call, he realized she must have not cared about their worry, as she might have felt that they all betrayed her, so he called again.

"_It's Castle again. You probably don't want to talk to any of us now. I get it. I just want you to know that I wasn't aware of the bet. Honestly. "_

Damn, who was he fooling, she wouldn't believe him. A message saying 'I'm sorry' would help surely, but sending that would be a lie. Castle wasn't sorry. He wanted that kiss, and the tradition with the mistletoe was the perfect opportunity to get what he wanted. The only thing he hadn't taken into consideration was the massive resistance of Kate.

"_You might not believe me, but that's the truth. I'm sorry for the way everything turned out."_

Giving up the vain attempts of reaching her, he sent her a text message he hoped would ease her grudge.

"_If it helps, my cheek still hurts."_

*

Her mobile on the nightstand, Kate was lying in her bed. She was staring at the ceiling in the dark room, her thoughts around the evening's incident. Though she had stormed out of the party completely enraged, she couldn't get those moments in Rick's arms out of her head.

No matter how much she wanted to hate him for the trick with the mistletoe, whenever she recalled the feeling of his lips on hers, her pulse quickened in excitement. She was furious with him for having been so daring and self-confident to kiss her without her consent, especially in front of their colleagues, yet part of her liked his boldness. She had to admit there was some tension between them, and all the teasing and sassy remarks just fueled the sparks of attraction. His really ruggedly handsome features, the blue eyes full of mischief, the captivating smirk, his irresistable charm and politeness all had their effect on her. The fact that she had been a fan of his before they met just made everything more difficult. Back then she hadn't ever dreamt of him entering into her life, having him around day by day. Most of all she hadn't ever dared to imagine being kissed by the famous Richard Castle.

The kiss. His soft lips brushing against hers fiercely, his muscular arms pressing her against him.

Calming down after the initial shock, thinking about what had happened, she couldn't decide how she felt about the situation. Castle's messages just didn't help, either.

Did he really have nothing to do with the bet, she wondered. She couldn't explain why she felt so, but she was tempted to believe him.

A beeping sound announced that she got a text message. It'd better not be another voicemail notification, she thought as she flipped her phone open.

The sender's ID said that it was a text message from Castle. Frowning, she threw the phone onto the other side of the bed. However, temptation and curiousity were too strong to be ignored after some long moments, so a couple of seconds later, she reached for the mobile to check the message.

Though she was still angry with him, she couldn't help but smile at the message. Yes, knowing she had hurt him was satisfactory.

Let him feel remorse for a while, she thought with a gloating smile and shut her phone without replying to the message.

*

Rick entered the kitchen to grab his morning coffee. This time he needed the black liquid more than usual. He couldn't stop thinking about the previous night's events and pondering about Beckett. She didn't reply to his messages, which meant she was still furious with him, and it wasn't a good sign.

"Morning, son," Martha chirped from beside the large kitchen table.

"Morning, Mother," he replied wearily.

Martha took a good look at him. "You look awful."

"Oh thanks, Mom, that's what a man needs to hear in the early morning."

"Was it a rough party?" she smirked.

"You could say that," he muttered, rushing a hand through his ruffled hair. Then he added casually, "I kissed Beckett."

Martha's look brightened up. "Finally, you took your wise mother's advice."

Rick took his cup of coffee and sat down opposite his mother. "Not quite," he took a sip, "It was just the mistletoe. And she didn't react the way I had expected, but slapped me right there in front of everyone."

Martha laughed. "I like the woman even more. "She has spirit."

"Thank you so much for the support, Mother," Rick said quizzically.

"All I'm saying is that she's not like any of your exes; she's a real woman." She put a slice of orange into her mouth. "Someone I'd like having around," she hinted cautiously.

His eyes immediately found hers in disbelief, and he laughed out loud. "Are you suggesting what I think you are?"

"Richard, you're not getting any younger," she made him look at the facts. "Alexis might need a role-model at her age... and I'd be glad to know that my beloved son is not lonely."

"Mother!" he exclaimed in both shock and amusement. He couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the issue. "I'm not lonely! I have you and Alexis."

"You know that's not what I'm thinking of. You need a steady relationship. I'm not telling you to get married, no way," she dismissed the idea with a slight snort. "We've already gone that way, twice. Neither of them worked. No, I'm just saying you need a girlfriend – someone smart, courageous and reliable, just like Detective Beckett."

"You want to set me up with Beckett??" his eyes shimmered in amusement and wonder.

"Don't even attempt to fool me and say you're not attracted to her," she smirked knowingly.

Before he could say anything, arms were thrown around his neck and strawberry blonde hair brushed his shoulder.

"Morning, Dad," Alexis Castle kissed his cheek affectionately, and then dropped herself into the chair beside him. "What's up?" she asked cheerfully, grabbing some toast.

"Your grandmother's trying to persuade me to date Beckett," Rick replied incredulously, hoping the teenager'd agree with him on the ridiculosity of the question.

"Great," the kid approved the suggestion without any sign of objection. The carefree smile didn't fade off her face. "I like her. She's cool. So go for it."

Raising his brows quizzically, Castle gaped at her.

"Is this a game?" he tilted his head, narrowing his eyes suspiciously, and glanced back and forth at the females of his household. "You two conspired behind my back, and now you're testing me..."

"You're paranoid, Richard," Martha noted. "You should be happy that we like Detective Beckett. That couldn't be said about that red demon named Patricia, or the other, that Ginger..."

"Hey, what was wrong with her?? She was nice," Rick countered, flashing them an innocent look.

"Yes, until she started calling every ten minutes," she pulled a face. "Or there was that Amelie. She sickened us with her affected attitude."

"And don't forget about Marilyn!" Alexis chimed in. "That woman wore insects as jewellery," she shuddered at the memory.

Rick wrinkled his nose concedingly.

"Okay, okay," he cut the torrent of the names of his dates, "I get it. You like Beckett."

"According to that kiss, we're not the only ones," Martha smirked.

"Kiss??" Alexis squealed, her beautiful big eyes getting wide. "You kissed her?? You did?" she demanded the answer eagerly.

Rick sighed and smiled at the excitement of his daughter. "There was mistletoe..."

"I love this season," she grinned.


	4. Chapter 4

Another chapter to my faithful readers :) Again, thank you very much for all the nice reviews, your opinion means a lot to me.

Special thanks to **Larissa95**, **Nathan fan **and **Elishak **for their appreciative words. x And as always, dedication goes to my awesome beta, Emily, in the first place! 3

I still don't own the show and the characters, however I wish I could write for the show. :)

Enjoy this piece! :)

* * *

Ignoring everything and everyone around her, Kate buried her attention in the paperwork on her desk. Though she couldn't fully concentrate on the task, she kept staring at the reports in front of her, pretending to be completely immersed in work. She was aware of Ryan and Esposito's gazing her back now and again - the two of them talking about her and Castle after that certain scene at the party. She would have rather sunk under the ground in shame or become invinsible than be a walking target of strange looks and murmurs behind her back.

What was Richard Castle thinking?? Humiliating her in front of their colleagues and... Oh God, even the Mayor! Even though Bob was a friend of the writer and not a complete outsider, the fact that he had witnessed those moments made her feel more than embarrassed. How could Castle do that?

His voicemail messages kept replaying in her mind, and she wondered if he meant all he said. Though those words scored him some good points, she couldn't just forget everything and forgive him that easily.

Suddenly, a shadow fell onto her desk. She didn't need to look up to know who it was.

Richard shifted a bit before cautiously sitting down into the chair beside her desk.

"Good morning," he said, not taking his eyes off her.

Kate acted as if she hadn't heard him and didn't show any sign of being aware of his presence. She kept pretending to be busy, which she knew would annoy him a lot.

"Beckett, come on...," he spoke again, but her cold voice cut him short.

"There's no new case to investigate today, so go home," she said flatly, still not looking up from the papers.

"I can help with paperwork, too," he suggested.

"I don't need help," she replied curtly.

"Detective," Rick nudged her with a small smile, "you're so very stubborn. Could we just get over the events of last night and go on?"

"That's a good question," Kate finally turned her head toward him, her eyes flashing at him. "And the answer is no."

"Nah, Beckett, don't be so overdramatic, what happened wasn't a big deal."

"No big deal??" she snapped at him furiously. "Humiliating me in public is not a big deal?? Good to know how much you care for me!" she jumped up from her table, grabbing her coat. "Richard Castle, you are the most indifferent, conceited and arrogant bastard I have ever met," she spat and walked out.

"Damn," he frowned at himself, watching her leave. Her words hurt him. Not the names she called him, but the conclusion about his care for her. She was so damn mistaken about that. He had just recently realized how much she really meant to him. She wasn't like any of the women he had met, but as his mother put it in words, she was a real woman. Not some diva, some Barbie-girl in the spotlight, but a smart, strong and interesting woman with real emotions. Someone who wasn't bedazzled by the fame and wealth of Richard Castle, someone who needed more to be conquered than his charm and money.

What had started as fun turned out as a real disaster. He might have been wrong to kiss her at the party. He hadn't thought about the angle she viewed things from, however he should have done so. And he had to admit that she was right. He shouldn't have forced her into that kiss in front of everyone. He had betrayed her trust again, just like when he had dug up her mother's file. He had been lucky back then, she had forgiven him eventually, but now? He feared the answer. And he had every reason to do so.

"Yo, what's up man?" Esposito stepped over to him, a sympathetic look in his eyes. "Looks like she's still mad at you. I knew that mistletoe thing wasn't a good idea," he noted commiserately, glancing at Detective Ryan.

"Come on, that's tradition! Who could know that she would react like that?" Ryan protested.

"Whatever," Castle sighed, "I screwed it big time."

"Tell her you're sorry," Esposito suggested compassionately.

"I doubt that would help this time. However..." Rick's eyes brightened up. "That's my last chance."

Ryan and Esposito exchanged a wondering look.

"Man, I should adopt you," Castle smiled at Esposito, patting the man's arm, then rushed out of the room.

"What?" Javier raised his brow in confusion.

Ryan shrugged. "Must be some Castle-thing."

*

Castle was on the phone all day and evening, organizing everything he had in mind. Martha gave him a helping hand, secretely glad that her son realized what he was risking with the Detective. By 1pm next day, the secret mission was ready to be launched.

Rick rushed into the precinct, all anxious and excited. The food-service was already there, arranging the plates and glasses filled with champagne onto the desks. Thanks to Martha, decoration had been done, too – balloons, serpentines and lampions all at their places.

"Esposito!" Castle called the man checking the playlist on his computer. "Is everything okay? Did you manage to convince her to be here?"

"Man, it wasn't an easy ride, but… yeah, she's coming."

"Yesss," Rick crossed his fingers in hope. "I owe you one," he smiled.

"Hey, Mr. Party-Wizard," Ryan greeted him with a broad smile. "I don't know how you did it, but hats tipped to you. Organizing a party in a day this time of the year is a miracle."

"I have my connections," he smirked. "Did you manage to reach everyone?"

"Most of them. Actually, I'm surprised how good I am persuading people into a make-shift party."

"Thank you, guys. You rock."

"Hope it will work," Esposito noted.

A mischievious light lit up in Ryan's eyes.

"No," Castle said firmly, "No bets on this one."

Ryan pouted. "Kill joy."

*

By 8:30pm the precinct was full of people in party outfits, drinking, eating, dancing and chatting.

"I'm impressed, Castle," Captain Montgomery noted as they were watching the crowd. "Great work in such a short time. "I don't approve of the last minute scheduling, but given the circumstances and the Mayor's assent, I couldn't refuse it."

"Believe me, Captain, Bob will be grateful for your understanding and sacrifice," the writer assured him politely.

"You're a hell of a lucky guy, Castle."

"Hopefully my luck doesn't run out tonight."

"Beckett is a tough case, but not impossible to crack." The Captain gave Richard a small, knowing smile.

After the moment of initial surprise, Rick returned the smile. "I'm not one to give up that easily."

"Good luck, Castle." Montgomery winked and moved to greet some people just entering the room.

"Thanks, Boss," Rick muttered to himself, a smile curving in the corner of his mouth.

"What are you up to, Castle?" a female voice shook him out of his reverie.

He turned to face Lanie Parish eyeing him suspiciously.

"Drinking some champagne, chatting with people… oh and definitely tasting some of those delicious salads. That's salmon, isn't it? Or tuna?"

"Stop trying to fool me, Writer Boy," she cast him a warning glance. "I wasn't born yesterday. I know you're up to something. You'd just better not mess with Kate again. Otherwise, believe me, I will gladly do the autopsy on your dead body."

"Ouch, that so sounds like a threat," he smirked.

"It's just a warning, Castle."

"Parish, you're spending too much time in that chilly autopsy room; your tone is cold as ice. Hmmm, actually, that would be a good character in my next book," he mused. "The coldhearted medical examiner indulges in her job too much, and, while doing her duty, takes a trip to the dark side. With those sharp, metallic tools, blood and gore all around, she becomes the next Ripper."

"Her first victim is a certain smug, bestselling author, that is," she replied confidently and walked away.

"We'll see," he grimaced, watching her leave.


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you very much for your kind reviews! You make my days with your nice words. **Love you all!**

As always, the story is dedicated to my awesome beta, **Emily**. Love lots!

Also, thank you very much for the support to **Larissa95 **and **Nathan fan**, and big thank you goes to **Lady Brenlis** and **ELfict** for the review.

* * *

Rick's eyes were scanning the room for Beckett and he became a bit nervous when he couldn't see her anywhere. Could she have already left? That wasn't impossible at all.

He was about to go and ask Esposito and Ryan when he finally glimpsed the brunette detective in the company of the Mayor. They were chatting on the side; Bob making her laugh occasionally.

She was stunning in her black, mini cocktail-dress. It was simple but gracious and sexy. The stretchy material clung to her lovely curves perfectly. The strapless top left her porcelain white shoulders bare, while the short skirt revealed her delicate legs. A black stola laced with silver threads hung around her arms, and she wore rhinestone necklace with matching earrings and a bracelet. Rick could clearly see how much Bob was enjoying this beautiful woman's company, and though the man was one of his friends and associates, he couldn't help but feel slightly jealous of the Mayor right now.

"Yo, bro," Esposito's voice pulled him out of his reverie. The detective's look followed his gaze. "You'd better not screw it up this time," he noted.

Rick nodded, swallowing hard. Yeah, no more chances there.

"I guess it's time to do my part," he sighed. "In case I fail, tell my mother which hospital I am in," he noted before jumping up to the desk nearby.

Chuckling, Esposito walked back to Ryan, who immediately stopped the music player and winked at the writer.

Wondering what was going on as the music suddenly stopped, people exchanged confused looks and turned to seek explanation. Seeing Castle standing on one of the office desks, a rush of murmurs spread through the small crowd.

When Kate turned around to see what was happening, she saw Castle towering above everyone on the top of a desk, calling for attention. Oh, God, please no, she prayed, immediately feeling the shame rising in her. If he compromised her again, there's no power to stop her from killing him with her own hands. Feeling trapped, she wanted to rush out of the room, but the Mayor stopped her.

"You might like to hear what he wants to say," he whispered with a smirk.

Why did she have the feeling that the two men had conspired behind her back, she wondered. She furrowed her brow at that possibility and the Mayor's words, then reluctantly turned her attention to Castle. What the hell was going on? Suspicion waking inside her, she looked at the writer with narrow eyes.

"I'm sorry to interrupt the fun," Castle started casually, "but there's something I would like to say." Clearing his throat, he caught a quick and slightly nervous glance of Kate, then regaining his composure, he went on. "You might have been wondering about this party – the late invitations and the insistance on your attendance; well, I guess I owe you an explanation."

Kate's breath was caught in shock for a moment. Oh, no, the realization dawned on her, and she couldn't help but gape at him.

"I have organized this party," Rick continued solemnly. "And the reason why I needed you all to be present was related to something I had done at the Christmas party not so long ago. I had hurt someone there, someone I truly respect and admire," he turned his look to Kate, honesty brightening his blue eyes. "I didn't consider her feelings about the situation in question and embarrassed her in public. I hurt her feelings and probably broke her trust. She never deserved that." After a moment of silence, he went on. "She'd have never listened to my apology in private, and I hurt her in the presence of you, so that's where I wanted to tell her that I'm sorry."

Kate's heart skipped a beat at his words, and she felt her face flushing. Was he apologizing to her in front of everyone? The arrogant, smug writer was really doing this?

"I'm sorry, KB," Rick locked her eyes. All he could hope for was her not storming out again, and maybe receiving a frown or a pretended smile for the audience. But he got neither, which set his hopes a little higher.

His musing was interrupted by the applause of the crowd. He nodded a thank you and climbed off of the desk. Ryan gave him a thumbs up and resumed the music on the computer. The silence ceased, and the room filled with laughter and excited chatter along with the tune of another popular song.

Rick made his way toward Kate tentatively, as if he wanted to give her a chance to flee. The Mayor gave the detective a warm smile before excusing himself to leave her and the writer alone. He hoped that Castle's plan worked and the two could finally resolve their issues.

"Are we still on talking terms?" Castle asked with a hopeful smile when getting within her reach. His blue pools were searching her green ones, trying to read her mind.

He had done it; he had made an apology to her. He had done something he never imagined he would do for a woman. He had never had to make efforts to impress a woman; usually they rivalled each other for his attention. Once he set his eyes on a girl, he could be sure she would become one of his conquests. How could he refuse the company of pretty females who had a crush on him? Being the top prize and the target of admiration was flattering and pleasing, and Richard didn't deny he relished it. He bathed in fame and glamour, could have any women he wanted, had connections that people envied, and certainly didn't have money issues. He had enjoyed this life, and after the second divorce, hadn't intended to change it, right until the day when the fictional murders of his books came to life and Derrick Storm took form in Detective Kate Beckett. His humdrum life of fame was suddenly filled with thrill, excitement and fun by her side; every waking day was a new piece of a big puzzle, and he was part of the solving game. He noticed the sexual tension between the two of them right from the start, but also realized that Detective Beckett was a challenge, which, as a matter of a fact, appealed to him a lot. From then on, his days gained a new purpose – taming of the shrew. Rick did everything in his power to break her resistance and make her surrender, but it ended up being him who eventually ended up conceding.

"Do I have another choice?" she wondered aloud, a small, shy smile curving in the corner of her mouth.

"Well, I hope you don't," Rick returned the smile, looking deep into her eyes. "Wanna dance?" he offered his hand.

Watching the two, Ryan smirked mischieviously and clicked the song "Can't Fight This Feeling" by the Foreigners.

Castle pulled Kate close, and they started to sway to the rhythm of the music. Neither of them knew what to say, and Ryan's choice of song didn't help, either. Right there, they couldn't find the right words to say. Not even Richard Castle, the successful author of several bestsellers.

_I can't fight this feeling any longer, and yet I'm still afraid to let it flow, what started off as friendship has grown stronger, I only wish i had the strength to let it show - _the lyrics filled Rick'smind, and he let out an inaudable sigh at the truth of the words.

"Beckett," he whispered into her ear eventually. A shiver ran through her body as his breath tickled the bare skin of her neck and shoulder. "There's something you should know. I might be a jerk, but I care for you." He referred to her outburst the day before. "Never doubt that."

Her heart skipped a beat. She could perceive the shadow of hurt behind his words, and suddenly she felt the shame for having accused him of something that wasn't true.

She turned her face to look him in the eye. "Thank you," she uttered quietly. "And thank you for all this," she referred to the apology and the whole party.

His phone ringing, Rick reluctantly broke away from Kate to check the caller ID. "Sorry, I must answer this, it's Alexis," excusing himself, he walked out into the hallway.

Thoughts were racing in Kate's mind; she still couldn't comprehend everything that happened this evening. Castle's apology to her in front of their colleagues took her off-guard. She learned an unknown side of him, and it appealed her. To tell the truth she couldn't be angry with him about the kiss anymore. Yet, he deserved that smack, she smirked.

She found herself not being able to get the song they were dancing to out of her mind. W_hat started off as friendship has grown stronger, I only wish I had the strength to let it show. _She might have wanted to deny it, but she felt herself falling for Richard Castle. Her mind was still in denial-land every time she thought of the possibility, yet her heart beat the melody of the truth. She hated this tune, she considered it as betrayal. She can't like the smug, arrogant and annoying writer, her mind kept reminding her. Even if his smile made her legs go weak, and the stare of his blue eyes sent shivers through her body.

"Are you alright?" the M.E.'s voice pulled her out of her reverie. "Or should I kick his ass?"

Kate sent a thankful smile to her friend. "No worries, Lanie, I'm okay."

"So have you forgiven him?" Parish asked with a slight smirk, but she didn't need a reply when seeing the sheepish smile on Kate's face. "You so did," Lanie grinned.

"I didn't have any choice."

"Oh yeah," she smirked.

"Enjoying the party, ladies?" Esposito turned up, moving to the rhythm of music.

"Yeah, though the DJ could be better," Lanie replied mockingly.

"Hey," he glanced at Ryan, "no flaming my bro'. As a punishment, you must dance with me." He grabbed the M.E.'s arm and pulled to the make-shift dancefloor. She protested in vain, and then gave up, laughing.

Kate watched the two in amusement. She liked these guys; they were like family to her.

"I'm sorry, but I must go," Castle's voice called from behind her back.

She turned around and saw the anxiety in his eyes. Something was wrong, she reckoned.

"Alexis is sick," he said, worry etched on his handsome features.

"Has Martha already called the doctor?" she inquired.

"She's out of the town tonight," he replied with a sigh while searching the contact list in his phone for Alexis' G.P.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Kate asked compassionately. She liked Alexis and shared the worry about her with him.

His blue pools met hers, appreciation at her care lighting them up. Having found the right number, he pushed the call button. "No, you'd better stay here and enjoy your party."

"You think I could enjoy it knowing that Alexis is sick?" Her eyes pierced his.

He knew she was right. The doctor answering, he excused himself for the late call and told him about the matter. A sigh of relief left his throat when the doc assured him he'd be right there.

"I'm going with you," she stated firmly.

Seeing her determination, he knew it was better not contradict her. As the matter of fact, he was grateful for her decision. With Martha off, he needed someone's support. When it came to Alexis, his mask of invincibility dropped and he was just as vulnerable as any other parent.

Giving her a thankful look, they set out toward the elevator.


	6. Chapter 6

Thank you soooooooooooooooooo much for your amazing reviews! I'm glad to see new names in the review list, thank you for reading!

I'd so mention everyone who left a review, but this would take forever. Anyway, THANK YOU!!

Special thanks to BlondeOne1013, rawpotato and Nathan fan for their message. You rock!

Hope you will like this part too. :)

* * *

During the drive from the precinct to Castle's apartment, Kate could see how worried he was about Alexis. He didn't say a word, but pressing his lips together, he checked the rearview mirror time after time when changing lanes and speeding up to shorten the drive. He was way different when acting as a father than the famous writer, she noted.

Castle even took the risk of failing the field sobriety test if stopped by police patrol – the test would surely reveal the champagne he had drunk at the beginning of the party - but taking a cab this time of the year meant hours, and he couldn't waste time now. Anyway, he had his own police officer right beside him; they could always come up with some excuse if needed.

Arriving at his block, he jumped out of the car, and the two of them rushed up to the elevator. The ride never seemed so slow before, and Rick was gripping his keys nervously, muttering "come on" impatiently.

When the door of the lift finally opened at his floor, he darted out and ran to his door with Beckett in toe.

"Alexis!" he called as they entered his apartment, shrugging his coat off briskly.

"I'm staying here to let the doctor in," Kate said, arranging their coats on the rack.

He nodded and ran up to his daughter's room.

Switching the light on, she immediately discovered the huge Christmas tree in the corner in front of the French window of the large, spacious living room. Sighing at the sorrow concerning the holiday in her heart, she turned and walked into the kitchen area. Assuming that Castle might like to have some coffee, and she herself wanting a cup, as well, she poured some water into the espresso machine.. Exploring the cupboard, she finally found the coffee-cups, and picking two, she placed them on the table.

The doorbell rang, and relieved that the doctor arrived, she hurried to open the door. A middle-aged man with glasses and greyish beard stood at the threshold and was seemingly confused seeing Beckett. After having introduced themselves to each other, she invited him in. Placing his coat onto the rack, she led him up to the teenager's room.

The door of the room was open, and she could see Castle sitting beside Alexis' bed. The girl was pale and covered with her blanket up to her chin.

"Doctor Lazard is here," she announced quietly, stopping in the doorframe and letting the doctor go into the room.

Castle jerked his head, relief spreading through his face. He stood and greeted the doctor, "Matthew, thank you for coming this quickly."

"No problem, Richard," the man replied in his scratchy voice. "What's wrong?"

Giving them some privacy, Kate drew back and went into the kitchen where their coffee was ready. She poured the hot, black liquid into the porcelaine cups, inhaling the fresh scent.

She was worried about Alexis; having seen her like that was so unusual compared to the energetic, cheerful girl she knew. She hoped the kid's illness was nothing serious.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, she glimpsed the doctor and Castle with Alexis in his arms walking down the stairs.

"How is she?" she asked anxiously.

"According to the symptoms, it's appendicitis," the doctor stated. "She must be taken to the hospital."

Kate bit her lip anxiously, catching Castle's worried look above Lazard's shoulder.

"I'm getting the car ready, see you at the entrance," the doctor said.

"We'll be down in 2 minutes," Rick replied, putting his daughter gently down on the couch. She was already dressed; all she needed was her boots and jacket.

"I help her with them," Kate offered, taking the teen's boots from him. "I made some coffee, go and drink some; you'll need it."

He cast her a surprised, but thankful glance. Nodding, he let her take care of Alexis while he went and grabbed a cup.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine," Kate encouraged the girl, helping her into the winter clothes. "You're a Castle after all," she smiled.

Alexis managed to return a weak smile, and then winced in pain.

Joining them, Rick saw his girl's expresion. She liked Beckett indeed, and it made him happy.

"Let's go then, pumpkin," he scooped the kid into his arms again, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

*

The ride to the hospital was quite fast, which lessened Castle's nervousness. They said goodbye to doctor Lazard and entered the building. Some people with broken limbs, bruises and burns were sitting in the lobby; otherwise it was quiet and deserted. Checking Alexis in at the registration desk, Castle was told to wait around until the medics examined his daughter and decided on the further steps to take.

After a short while, her results were back, confirming she had appendicitis and she needed to be operated on. While she was in the operation room, Castle couldn't help but pace back and forth in the hallway.

"She will be okay." Kate came over to him, putting a hand on his arm. "She's a strong girl."

"She is." he managed a weak smile and added, "This wasn't how I imagined this night. I'm sorry to have spoiled your fun."

"It's okay, I don't blame anyone. What matters is Alexis recovering."

"Thank you, Kate." Looking into her eyes, he took her hand. His touch sent a jolt through her body, and her first name leaving his lips for the very first time made her heart flutter. "Thank you for your support, it means a lot to me. You're a true friend," he uttered and, leaning closer, gave her a soft kiss on the cheek.

Her breath was caught in her throat, and she felt her heart beating faster.

When pulling away, Richard's eyes met hers one more time, and he squeezed her hand cautiously.

A young man in the usual outfit of a medic interrupted their moment. "Mr. and Mrs. Castle, the operation went smoothly, no complications, so your daughter's fine."

Kate felt uncomfortable about being mistaken for Castle's wife, and was about to correct the doctor, but Rick spoke first.

"Thank you so much, doctor." He gave him a happy and relieved smile. "Can we see her?"

"Sure. Room 108 on the first floor in the right wing."

When the doctor left, Kate sent a mocking glance to Rick. "Mrs. Castle??"

He shrugged with a smirk. "I said you were my work-wife."

*

Alexis was still sleeping when Castle and Beckett stepped into her room. Her face was ever so pale; her features mirrored the exhaustion of the intense pain she had been through.

Richard walked to her bedside and, gently and affectionately, tucked a strand of her damp, strawberry hair out of the girl's face.

Kate was standing at the end of the hospital bed watching the two Castles. It was such a lovely sight. How can this man, who's a 12 year-old at heart and annoying as hell many times, be so different as a father? Tiredness taking over her, she stifled a yawn.

Noticing this, Rick broke away from Alexis and went over to Kate. "I better put you in bed," he smiled, knowing how naughty it sounded.

"I can do that on my own, thank you," she teased him, and then added softly, "You have someone else who needs you now."

"I can drive you home and come back..."

"No, you'd better stay –I don't want you to risk the sobriety test again, especially since you won't have a detective beside you this time. I can get a cab."

Admitting that what she was saying made sense, he nodded.

"Say hi from me to Alexis when she wakes up," she noted with a warm smile.

"I will," he promised.

"And don't worry about work," she added. "Take your time. We will manage it without you."

He appreciated her understanding, but couldn't resist mocking her once more. "You can't get rid of me that easily, Beckett," he grinned. "I bet you'd love me out of your way, but... you must figure out something else to achieve that."

"Believe me, Castle, I'll do it one day," she flashed him her confident smirk and left the room.

The smile still lingering in the corner of his mouth, Rick pulled a chair next to Alexis' bed. Sitting down, he watched his sleeping girl.

Fortunately, Alexis was a healthy kid, she had rarely been ill. But whenever she was, Rick always worried too much and spent lot of time at her bedside. When she had been a little girl and caught the flu, he had been sitting in the armchair next to her bed and reading her children stories or coming up with some original ones.

"Mother?" he called Martha, speaking quietly. Never tearing his gaze off of the kid, he told her about Alexis' condition, reassuring the diva that her grandkid was under good care. He perceived the appreciation of Beckett's support in her tone, which pleased him. The fact that his mother approved of the detective as a woman and a potential partner in is life meant a lot. Looking back, he realized that she had never been that supportive with any of his dates, being the critical diva and such. If only Beckett knew how special she was in the Castle household...

Recalling that morning conversation, her words echoed in his mind. _Richard, you're not getting any younger. Alexis might need a role-model at her age... and I'd be glad to know that my beloved son is not lonely. __You need a steady relationship. You need a girlfriend – someone smart, courageous and reliable, just like Detective Beckett. _He smiled at the memory. His mother was right, Kate was a real woman; she proved it that night by supporting and assisting him with Alexis, even though he hadn't asked her to do so. That care and compassion were a part of her nature, something he admired a lot. She could have stayed at the party, yet she insisted on going with him.

He was more than sure that he liked her more than he had ever expected to. He had been attracted to her from the very first moment, but only now did he realize how much her beauty affected him. Not only was she beautiful in features, but also her soul and spirit were something to admire. She was strong, yet sensitive, hard and soft, ice and fire – exactly what Richard needed. Not a Barbie-doll, not a girl looking for glamour, not an empty-headed chick having hundred of cosmetic surgeries, but a woman from the real world. A natural beauty with real life – living and working hard in this cruel world, facing its true side, dealing with its troubles. She was someone who had real crystal teardrops of sorrow and joy, the true jingle of laughter and radiance of a smile. She never pretended, but let her emotions flow. When she was broken, she didn't hide the pain and tears, and when she was happy, that gorgeous smile lingered on her face. And she was smart – very smart indeed.

The more he thought about it, the more he couldn't deny that he'd have gladly start a relationship with her. He had flirted with her from the first moment they met, but his charm was useless against her stubborn resistance. Cracking her shell was a challenge, but he could tell sooner or later she would give into him. He wasn't blind, her body-language and the look in her eyes gave away her suppressed attraction to him. Surrendering to him was just a matter of time.


	7. Chapter 7

Thank you so much for the awesome reviews, you make me feel good at what I'm doing. Special thanks to **rawpotato**, **underarrest39 **and **Nathan fan**.

Hope you'll like this piece too.

-group hug-

* * *

At 3:55 a.m. Kate finally dropped into her bed, not even bothering to undress. She was exhausted, and all she wanted was sleep. She wanted to sleep, not think of a certain arrogant, yet irresistably charming writer. Not thinking of him, she admonished herself, when her thoughts wandered to him again. She couldn't get Castle's tender moment with Alexis out of her mind. The man called Richard Castle was not only a mystery writer, but a mystery himself. Yet, if she wanted to be honest with herself, she liked this enigma.

Her eyelids became heavier with every minute, and she dozed off eventually, with thoughts of him on her mind.

After a couple of hours sleep, her mobile's alarm called, signaling it was time to get up and start the new day. Yawning, she reached for the phone to set off the alarm. Only when glancing at the display of her mobile did she notice that she had got a message from Lanie. Clicking to open it, she read _"Hi girl, did u do it? :P Disappeared so early w Writer Boy, hope u had a gr8 nite. ;-) L" _Her eyes widened at the text, and she couldn't help but let out a small chuckle.

Resolved that she would call the M.E. later, she pulled the blanket off of herself and, getting out of the bed, walked into the bathroom. I look awful, she stated, when looking in the mirror she noticed her make-up being smeared. Turning the shower on, she stepped out of the black cocktail dress she still had on from the previous evening. The warm water on her skin felt so relaxing after all the anxiety of last night. Her thoughts wandered back to Castle and Alexis and she hoped the kid was better. Lead by a sudden idea, she decided to pay a quick visit to the girl in the hospital before work.

Having finished in the bathroom, she got dressed and gathering her stuff and, grabbing her car-keys, she left the flat.

*

On the way to the hospital, Kate dropped by in a gift shop, buying a get well-present for the girl. Entering the hospital room, she was greeted by the cutest sight she had recently seen. Still sitting in the chair at his daughter's bedside, Castle was asleep. Leaning to the left, his head was laying on the bed with Alexis' resting on his. Father and daughter were sleeping peacefully.

Kate couldn't help but smile at how cute the two were. It was one of those moments when she liked Castle. Loving the sight in front of her, she couldn't resist temptation and, fishing her phone out of the pocket of her jacket, she snapped a picture of the two Castles.

She put the yellow, plush, smiling flower holding the message "Get Well Soon" in a pot that danced and sang when the button on the side was pushed on the small table at the end of the bed, and, taking in the lovely sight once more, she sneaked out of the room.

*

Rick stirred, and, opening his sleepy eyes, he noted that he had fallen asleep. Feeling some weight on his head, he registered Alexis' closeness. Cautiously, not wanting to wake her, he emerged from the bed and laid the girl's head down on the soft pillows. Blinking and yawning, he eased the muscles in his neck and shoulders, and that was when he caught glance of the cheery plush flower on the little table. Wondering who brought it, he walked there and picked up the little card attached to its leaf._"Recover soon, hugs, Kate B." _ He smiled and put the card back in its place.

She had been here, he noted, his gaze still lingering on the soft plush gift. The flower was smiling back at him cutely. Bringing a little present to the girl was a simple but sweet gesture of Beckett, and it warmed Rick's heart. Apart from his mother and himself, and occasionally Meredith, there wasn't anyone who would have cared that deeply about Alexis. And now, here was this police detective, the sassy and snarky woman called Kate Beckett, who showed genuine care toward the teenager. A stranger, someone Rick couldn't pinpoint how to relate to – was she a colleague, a friend or more? - yet she managed to gain his family's love and trust very easily; she kind of became a VIP friend of the Castles. Sometimes Richard wondered how she did it, how did she charm the two most important women in his life that much to be accepted that easily. Being the same sex might have had something to do with it, he mused; women understand each other more than they do men. Whatever, her extraordinary personality was definitely a reason - she was one of those women Castle could truly respect and admire. Considering all this, he wasn't surprised that his mum and daughter would have liked him to have Beckett as a girlfriend. A smile spread through his face at the thought. The more he wondered about it, the more he liked the idea.

He wished she would have waked him when coming here. He was about to dial her number when a faint voice called from the bed.

"Dad?"

Richard turned to face his daughter who was watching him. Giving her a happy smile, he moved to her bedside, "Hey pumpkin, how are you feeling?"

"Good, I think," she rubbed her temples. "No more pain."

"Glad to hear that. We were worried about you. And I hate worrying about you, you know," he replied lovingly and placed a kiss on her forehead.

Smiling, she turned her look at the plush flower. "That's cute."

"Someone thought it might cheer you up," he smiled back.

She raised a brow in surprise. "It's not from you?"

He shook his head with a meaningful smile. Walking to the table, he picked the gift and handed it to her.

Excitedly, she read the card attached, and happiness lit up in her eyes. "It's so nice of her," she uttered, touched by the detective's care. Pushing the button on the side of the flower, it started swaying and singing. She giggled. "Tell her I love it, and I'm utterly thankful."

"You can thank her personally if you want," he winked and, grabbing his mobile, hit the speed-dial to call Beckett.

*

Kate walked into the office with a content smile on her face. She was excited about whether Alexis would like the gift.

Putting her latte and phone on her desk, she sat down in her chair and booted the computer. While waiting for the system to load, she browsed the gallery of her mobile, looking for a certain picture. Her smile broadened affectionately when she found it. _So cute._

Suddenly, a male voice called from behind her back, and startled, she whirled her chair around.

"Whoa, someone's really jumpy today," Esposito grinned at her. "Exchanging naughty messages?"

Kate wondered if he saw the picture she had been staring at. She hoped that wasn't the case. Regaining her composure, she returned the ball, "Speaking from personal experience?"

"Ryan is the one who likes that game," he looked at the other detective beside him, feigning innocence.

"Thank you very much," Ryan sneered.

Kate stifled a yawn, which Esposito couldn't pass by without a word.

"You look tired."

"Had a rough night?" Ryan inquired wickedly.

"If you want to know, I didn't sleep much," she snapped at the two, rolling her eyes.

"Guessed so," the two smirked naughtily. "You had company to keep you up and busy."

She gave them a dirty glance.

"Not like it's any of your business, but I was watching over Alexis, Castle's daughter, all night, as she had to be taken to the hospital."

The two gaped at her; they didn't expect an answer like that.

"So, now that your curiosity is satisfied, could you make your overactive imaginations and speculative minds useful and dig up some information on the case you're working?" she suggested quizzically.

The two men walked back to their desks, their expressions of a child whose toy had been taken in punishment.

Kate turned back to her computer, an amused smile creeping up into the corner of her mouth.

She was just logging in when her phone rang, startling her. Secretly she hoped it was Castle, and the smile was on her face again as she read the caller ID.

"Beckett," she answered casually, as if she hadn't been aware of the identitiy of the person calling her.

"Good morning, Detective," Castle's cheerful voice greeted her ear.

"What's up, Castle?" she tried to suppress the delight of her tone.

"Alexis would like to tell you something," he said and handed the phone to the kid.

"Detective Beckett? I just want to thank you for the gift, it's supercute!" the girl's happy voice jingled through the line.

"I'm glad you like it," she replied with a relieved smile.

"I love it! Also, thank you very much for having been there for us the other night. Dad wouldn't have managed it without your help."

"Hey, that's not true." Kate could hear Castle protesting, and it made her grin.

"Dad doesn't think so, but I know I'm right," she stated confidently. "He needs grandma's guiding in case of an emergency, too."

"I see. But don't worry, I can handle him."

"Heard that, Beckett," Castle's indignant voice came through the line.

Kate chuckled.

"Hope you're feeling better," she noted.

"I do, thank you. Now I must give the phone back to Dad, see you later."

"Take care."

"Just for the record, I heard every word," Castle noted.

She couldn't suppress her smile.

"So what?" she teased him.

"You will so pay for this attitude at the next poker-party."

"Keep dreaming, Castle. I'll so beat your pants off," she smirked.

"Or I will yours," he retorted mischieviously.

The door of the hospital room opened, and Martha hurried in, a worried look on her face. When she caught glance of Alexis' shining face, her anxiety eased.

Rick stood up from the chair, letting his mother sit down, and moved to the far corner of the room.

"Kiddo, how are you? I was so worried," Martha hugged her grandchild. "I'm sorry I wasn't here..."

"Don't worry, gran, Detective Beckett was here for us," she smiled.

"Oh, that was very nice of her. Your father is a real jerk if he lets that woman slip out of his hands." She glimpsed at her son, pondering aloud. "Who's he talking to?"

"Detective Beckett," the kid replied in a singing voice with a lopsided smirk.

"You wish," Kate answered Castle's remark.

"Oh yes, I do," he grinned. "I must go now. See you later." He pocketed his mobile and turned back to his women. "Mother, it's so good to have you back!"

"I've been away only for two days! However, I hear you got along very well without me." She smiled suggestively.

"We had to. But it doesn't mean we didn't miss you."

"Come on, Richard, you don't have to flatter me. With Detective Beckett around, I'm sure my presence wasn't missed," she winked.

Castle's face lit up, and he hugged his mother. "I love you."


	8. Chapter 8

First, I'm sorry for the delay with this update, but I've been ill, plus work has drained all my energy to write. I hope my faithful readers had enough patience to wait for this piece though.

Thank you everyone for the reviews for the latest chapter, you rock! Special thanks to Nathan fan and CastlexBeckett for their encouraging words.

This one is a shorter chapter than the usual ones, but in compensation the next one will be a longer one with lots of fun. :)

So stay tuned!

* * *

With Friday night's poker-party having been scheduled the same night Alexis was released from the hospital, Kate agreed to pick up the girl with Castle in the early afternoon and stay in the Castle-apartment before the game started.

"Can I help you with something, Martha?" she asked the elder woman, who was retrieving glasses from the cupboard.

"Oh, no, dear, thank you very much." She smiled at her sweetly. "Everything is arranged. Just make yourself comfortable and at home. Where's Richard? How can he be such a bad host to leave you alone?"

"He's checking on Alexis."

"Detective, I want you to know how grateful I am that you were there for my son and granddaughter that evening. I appreciate it a lot."

"No problem, Mrs. Rodgers. I'm glad I could help and Alexis is better now," she smiled, and added, "And please call me Kate."

Martha returned a soft smile. "Only if you call me Martha."

"Okay, Martha," she smiled sheepishly.

"Conspiring behind my back?" Castle's cheerful voice called from behind Kate. The famous smirk was on his face as he joined the ladies.

"He is a bit paranoid lately," Martha noted to Kate in a confidential tone.

"A handsome, rich writer must always keep his ears and eyes open when women are talking behind his back. You may never know who wants just to exploit you and who is there for real interest," he noted.

"And which category do we belong to?" Martha inquired with a quizzical smile.

"Oh, you, Mother, are in a distinct category," he moved to her, placing a loving kiss on the diva's cheek. "You're in the 'Treasures of my life'." His eyes shimmered with genuine love.

"Kiddo, you are a real charmer. I just wish I knew who you learned this attitude from," she smiled affectionately, hugging her son.

Kate watched the lovely family scene in front of her with a warm smile in the corner of her mouth.

"And what about Kate?" Martha raised a brow with a smirk. "Where does she belong to?"

"Hmmm," he averted his look to Kate, staring at her while speaking. "I'm not sure yet. What do you think, Detective Beckett?" He wiggled an eyebrow at her.

Embarassed by becoming the center of attention and the innuendo of the question, Kate rolled her eyes and let out a little chuckle. "Castle, you'd better set up a new category for me with the label called 'the ones I annoy the most'."

Rick's mouth curved into an amused grin..

"Tsk, tsk, Beckett," his eyes were bright with mischief. "You're so negative," he scolded her gently, snagging a morsel from the plate full of nicely arranged cold cuts.

"Hands off, kiddo," Martha snapped at her son, rapping his knuckles lightly. "It's for the guests tonight. There are some leftovers in the fridge if you're hungry."

"You're so cruel," he sulked into her ear playfully.

"Okay you two, get out of the kitchen." She ushered them toward the living room.

Opening the fridge, Rick took a bottle of red wine and grabbed two glasses from the tray on the table. Blowing a kiss to his mother with a wide grin on his face, he followed Beckett into the living room.

*

Settling on the sofa, Castle filled the two glasses with wine and handed one to Kate.

"To the extraordinary Kate Beckett," he toasted. "And our partnership," he added with a content smile.

"Even though you annoy me to death at times." Rolling her eyes mockingly, she clinked their glasses.

Castle grinned and took a sip of the rich, burgundy liquid.

Looking at her, he recalled the conversation with Martha and Alexis that morning in the kitchen. He couldn't help but smile at the memory of how enthusiastic his daughter had been about Beckett and him.

"What's that?" she inquired, seeing the small smile in the corner of his mouth.

He took another sip of wine before shaking his head. "Just remembered something Alexis said the other day."

"Fancy sharing?"

Gazing at her green eyes, he uttered softly. "She said you were great."

Kate felt her cheeks blushing at the unexpected compliment.

"And you know what?" Castle smiled proudly. "She was right."

Her face flushing, she broke the eye-contact. When she felt his look being averted away from her, she noted, "I hate to admit it, but you're not that bad either. Especially where Alexis is concerned."

"I always knew you liked me," he smirked. "So spill it, who are you? Castlefreak1212? Castlelover45?"

"Keep dreaming, Castle," she teased him, taking another sip.

"Believe me, Beckett, that's what I do. Every night." His blue eyes were shimmering naughtily.


	9. Chapter 9

Hey my faithful readers, are you ready for the Castle poker-party? :P

Thank you for your kind words for the latest chapter, hope you'll like this one too. As the matter of fact, this is my fave piece of this story this far. :) So I'm more than curious to your opinion! :P

Enjoy it! :)

* * *

A couple of hours later the last poker-party of the year was launched in the Castle gaming-house. The Gotham City Crew - as Castle called this team of his regular players - Detective Beckett and Castle's mother in addition, was once again ready to engage in a merciless battle. At the large, authentic poker-table, Kate was sitting between Castle and the Mayor, while Martha was settled on the other side of her son and beside Captain Montgomery. Between the Mayor and the Captain, Judge Markway took a seat.

Martha commissioned herself being in charge of providing drinks, claiming that a pre-New Year's Eve poker-party couldn't happen without enough refreshments.

Due to the alcohol and the friendly atmosphere, the spirit soon got high. The room was filled with laughter and chatting.

The first rounds favoured the Mayor, Castle and Judge Markway, then Beckett, Martha and Captain Montgomery were the lucky ones. Around the middle of the evening, Castle and the Mayor were in the lead, then the females had the luck.

The Judge folded in the current round, and the Captain called the earlier bet. Martha having already folded on the flop, it was Richard's turn to be in action.

"Raise," checking his cards, he threw some chips into the pot.

"Call," Kate matched his raise.

Captain Montgomery contemplated his next move for a moment, then folded with a frown. With him being out of action, the round was drawing to a close, Beckett and Castle the last ones in game.

"Come on, Beckett," Castle mocked her with a smirk. "Let's bring things to a higher level of excitement."

Throwing her chips into the pot, Beckett smiled confidently. "All in."

Their audience was watching them in anticipation and amusement.

"Right," Rick pushed the heap of his chips into the pot. "All in," and added naughtily, "plus my shirt and pants."

Kate couldn't help but chuckle in surprise – it was typical Castle.

Martha suppressed a giggle and the Mayor watched the scene with true interest.

"Beat off his clothes, Detective," he grinned.

"Rick, you didn't tell us that we were going to play strip-poker tonight," the Judge chuckled.

"What, you're not properly dressed?" Castle grinned. "Oops, shouldn't let the others know that..." he feigned embarrassment.

"Unlike you," Markway remarked, "I am, you can bet."

The writer's eyes lit up with a mischievous light.

"No, never think of that, son," Martha protested. "I'm off then."

Castle chuckled and returned his look to Kate.

"What about you, Beckett? Are you also afraid of a little more heat?" he teased her naughtily.

She kept looking at him, while her mind was rushing for a plausible answer. Hell, he could get her into embarrassing situations. Had it only been the two of them, she could have come back with an appropriate reply, but with the prominent men of NY around, along with his mother, she couldn't risk that. Also, sitting there half-naked in the company of the similarly clothe-less Mayor, Judge and her own boss would have been really awkward, kind of a true scandal. Although she would have liked to wipe that smug grin off of the writer's face so much.

"Don't mistake me for your detective Nikki," she said.

The others smiled at the comeback.

"She is tough, you'll learn in time," Captain Montgomery told Castle.

"You should have given me a manual to Detective Kate Beckett," he noted.

"Time for the truth," Kate prompted him, "What do you have?"

"Someone's so impatient," he smirked, showed his cards. Two pairs.

"And someone has so lost," she grinned broadly, flipping her cards. She had a straight.

"That's it, Detective!" the Judge applauded.

"So how was that with your shirt and pants?" the Mayor gloated at Castle with a wide smirk.

"Come on, Castle, there's no backing out now," Kate seconded triumphantly, sweeping in the chips from the pot.

"I knew you wanted to see me naked," he muttered huskily, leaning closer to her.

"You wish," she retorted. "I just wouldn't miss the chance to see you getting into an awkward situation, which you initiated by the way."

Richard downed his drink and, undoing the buttons first, shrugged off his shirt casually, revealing his bare torso.

Kate couldn't resist sneaking a peak of him. Glimpsing his muscular arms and chest, the bare skin, she felt the heat rising inside her. When he undid the button of his jeans and slid them down his legs, leaving him standing there only in his holly-patterned boxers, her pulse doubled, and she had to look away to prevent the blush from creeping into her cheeks.

Rolling her eyes, Martha noted. "I must have done something really wrong so that my son at the age of an adult still behaves like a little boy."

Sitting back down, noticing Beckett's stolen glance, Rick turned to her. "Like what you see?" he smirked.

Recovering fast from the initial embarrassment, she held her head high. "Have seen better yet."

He pouted. "You've just made a breach in my self-esteem."

"You'll survive, Ricky," she mocked him, picking up her new cards.

Ricky?? She had never called him that.

Reaching for his glass, he whispered, "For the record, you're my detective in first place."

The husky words caressing her ear, a shiver ran through her body, leaving her breathless for a moment.

The next round followed almost the same pattern as the previous one; Castle and Beckett ended up the last two players in the game.

"I'm having déjà vu," the Judge noted, wrinkling his nose.

"Is that curable?" Castle joked.

"You'd better pay attention to your cards instead of cracking silly jokes," Kate chimed in.

"Feeling victorious again, Beckett?" he turned his look to her, wiggling his brow.

"Shut up and play, Castle," she retorted.

"Right," he conceded, and pushed all the chips he had acquired after the previous round into the pot. "All in," he looked at her intently, the playful light still in his blue pools. "And..."

The Mayor was trying to stifle a laugh, the Judge was watching in amusement, the Captain rolled his eyes, not knowing what to expect from the crazy author, while Kate's breath was caught in her throat, her eyes going growing wide. Yet, before anyone could have uttered a word, Martha grabbed her son's arm, and said warningly, "If you offer your remaining clothes, this party is so over."

"No worries, I'm not going there," he let out a small laugh at the reaction of his poker-partners. He truly did enjoy their shock.

To regain her composure, Kate took a large sip of her cocktail. Castle was such a teaser, she scolded him in her mind. And she couldn't decide if she hated or loved that fact.

"I'm saving that for a private round," he winked, glancing at Beckett, who almost choked on her drink when hearing those words.

Martha let out a sigh of relief and, smiling, grabbed her glass.

"On the behalf of the others around this table, I guess I can say we're happy to hear that," Bob grinned.

The Captain and the Judge nodded in agreement.

"Okay, so all in, and if you win," he turned back to the detective, "I stop following you for a day."

"Let's make it two," she replied hoarsely, still having trouble with breathing normally.

"Right," he smiled.

"Good," she agreed, pushing her chips into the pot. "All in. Show us what you have."

"Wait, what about the extra stake?" he tilted his head.

She furrowed her brows, "Extra stake? There's no such rule."

"Yes, there is. After 11pm all in goes with an extra stake. It's way past eleven, so the extra is obligatory. It's my home, so we're playing according my rules," he stated mischievously.

Looking around for help, her look met the others' approving ones.

"Sorry, Detective, he's right," the Mayor confirmed the writer's words.

"Great," she muttered sarcastically.

"So?" Castle was watching her expectantly.

"Don't look at me like that, Castle, there's no way I'm putting my clothes as a bet."

"Shame, but, given the circumstances, I understand it," he smirked. We'll go there later, he noted in his mind. "Right, no clothes then. But what about a kiss?"

"What??" she laughed at the absurdity of the question.

"You'd better agree on this as you're not allowed to negotiate the bet," the Judge said.

She looked at him helplessly. "Another Castle-rule, huh?"

He smiled and nodded.

"Just out of curiosity, when did you invent these rules?" she tilted her head, searching Castle's face. "Last time we played they didn't apply yet."

"They are not new ones, I just thought you needed some time to adapt to my team before being dropped into deep water," he replied smugly.

"I'm not a newbie at playing poker!" she was indignant.

"Yes, Beckett, you've passed the test," he smiled proudly, "so you've earned the chance to be welcomed to my poker-world. I can assure you, it's fun."

"Remind me to not play with him anymore," she glimpsed at the Captain.

"Okay. All in." She sighed, adding tentatively, "And a kiss." It might have been the amount of alcohol she had consumed or the high spirit of the company, but she couldn't be mad at Castle this time. She also felt a bit braver too. Actually, the possibility of his lips locking with hers again was an exhilarating prospect.

The others were watching the scene unfolding in amusement and anticipation.

"Okay, Beckett, the moment of the truth." Smiling wickedly, he flopped down his cards on the table.

The tension palpably increased around them.

Kate checked her cards slowly. Eventually, biting her lips in defeat, she folded her cards. Placing them with their back up, she admitted. "Luck favoured you, Castle"

A huge, triumphant grin spread across his face, a naughty spark lighting up his blue eyes. "Yesss!"

The others cheered and grumbled at the same time, while Martha watched the scene suspiciously.

"So what was the stake?" he smirked, prompting the detective.

Smiling sheepishly, she sighed. Let's get over with it, she conceded, turning to him.

The others were watching in anticipation, wondering if the two would really go for that kiss.

His blue eyes shimmering in the satisfaction of the predator finally facing the prey before finishing the act, Castle faced her. Pulling his chair closer to hers, he was gazing at her eyes and lips back and forth eagerly.

"What, Castle, are you afraid of a little action?" she mocked him with his own words.

His answer didn't contain words. Sneaking his hand around her neck, dipping her in a swift move, his lips brushed hers hard. After the initial moments, he felt her tentative response, kissing him back softly. Her lips tasted the mixture of coconut and alcohol due to the Piña Colada she was drinking. He ran his tongue along her lips, relishing the flavor of the cocktail.

His torso covering hers blocked the view of their lips locking. Their audience couldn't see anything, yet they didn't seem to mind it, but cheered and applauded loudly. Martha, exploiting the chance of distraction, snagged Kate's cards and checked them. I so knew it, she smirked, it would have been a winning hand.

When Rick was about to deepen the kiss, he felt a sharp pain in his calf. He broke away from Kate, exclaiming. "Ouch, Beckett, what was that?" he reproached her, rubbing his leg, looking at her with big puppy eyes.

"The stake was a kiss and not an orgy," she rolled her eyes with a grin.

"Right, before this party turns into something else, we should call it a night," the Captain chuckled, emerging from the chair. "It's late, and we have work to do tomorrow."

"It's New Year's Eve tomorrow," Castle protested.

"Tell that to the criminals out there," the Captain replied. "They never sleep."

Richard pouted. "I never kill anyone on the day of New Year's Eve in my books."

"Detective Heat and Mr. Rook may spend the day having fun together, but I need my Detective at work tomorrow. As for the evening, you can have her." Montgomery smiled.

Kate was about to protest against the choice of his boss's words, but she was cut off by the Captain. "I can give you a ride home, Detective, if you need it."

"Thank you, Sir," she accepted it without hesitation, seemingly ruining Rick's plans.

With everyone having left, Castle gave a helping hand to his mother with clearing the table.

"Working on 31st December is so unfair," he mused loudly. Then out of the blue, his face lit up. "Captain Montgomery has read my book!" he exclaimed. Sinking down on the nearest chair, his mind was rushing to add 2 and 2 together. "There's no other way he could know the main characters... My so-called boss is one of my fans!" he beamed. "That's how Bob managed to get me into the precinct," he concluded.

"Tonight seems to be the night of discoveries," Martha observed.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Detective Beckett likes you more than you think."

"What makes you say so?" he glanced at her inquiringly.

"Female intuition," she said, smirking mysteriously. Then leaning closer to him, she spilled the beans, "Cards don't lie."

"What?" he furrowed his brows, losing track.

"It wasn't you who was supposed to win the last round." She gave him a meaningful look and flipped Beckett's cards.

The truth dawning on him, he gaped at the winning cards before a grin spread across his face. She did it deliberately. She wanted him to win; she wanted him to kiss her.

And Detective Beckett usually got what she wanted.


	10. Chapter 10

Yup, I'm back with chapter 10! :)

I'm sorry for the very long delay, but I've been having real life issues (ie. having been stranded in the UK after my birthday holidays etc), plus loads of work, so I didn't have energy to work on my fics and post. Hopefully you forgive me.

And HAPPY belated BIRTHDAY to my awesome beta, phalangesbyfive, hope you had a great birthday, sweetie! *hugs* --------

* * *

His mouth was all over her, nibbling and kissing her hot skin eagerly. His hand tracing her curves, his fingers caressed every inch of her sweaty body. Arching against him, she moaned loudly as he found her sensitive places. His tongue worked magic on her, and she cried out his name as he sent her into heaven with his skillful moves. Panting, grabbing his hair, she pulled him up for a fierce kiss. Their mouths crashing into each other, their tongues danced frantically, craving more and more.

Kate awoke with a gasp at the sound of the alarm-clock. Her body was covered with sweat, yet it wasn't the sweat of fright, but the sweat of sweet heat and pleasure. Her chest was heaving as she was still panting for air. She still could feel the other body's weight on hers, his taste in her mouth, the scent of his sweat on her skin... But she was alone in her bed. Inhaling deeply, she dropped herself back on the pillows. That was just a dream. A _very_ vivid one.

She didn't know whether she should have felt relieved or sad for waking up alone. What she was dreaming about felt so real and so good. What scared her was the identity of the man she had that incredible sex with.

_Rick Castle._

Recalling the memory of him kissing her at the poker-table in front of everyone made her face flush. Everything had started with him undressing, and it kind of led to that kiss.

She licked her lips, remembering the feeling of the kisses both from reality and her dream.

What frightened her was the fact that - she had to admit - she had wanted him to cover her mouth with his last night. She couldn't explain what had urged her to do so, but she had wanted that contact. She deliberately had faked losing the poker-game, though she could have won two free days without him shadowing her. She had always wanted him to leave her alone; why had she let the opportunity slip away now?

No, she hadn't been drunk. Maybe slightly tipsy, but not drunk.

_God, why am I making things more complicated than they already are?_ She sighed, rubbing her temples.

Finally, getting out of the bed, she stood under the shower to refresh herself. _Maybe I'll think more clearly afterward_, she mused.

Even from the bathroom, she could hear her mobile's ringtone. Wrapping a towel around her, she tiptoed to the bedroom quickly and checked the caller ID.

His name was flashing on the display, while the ringing never ceased to stop.

Staring at her phone, biting her lip, her thoughts were racing. What should she tell him after last night? Even more after having had that realistic dream with him? No, she couldn't talk to him yet. She knew she couldn't avoid him for long, as he was going to be there at the precinct, ready to shadow her one more day, but until then she could buy some time for figuring out what to say. So she dropped the phone down on her bed and started to get dressed. The mobile rang two more times, but she ignored both calls.

About 20 minutes later, Kate was ready to leave for work. Grabbing her bag, she opened the door and bumped into Castle, who was just about to knock, his hand freezing in motion. He was just as startled as Kate by the unexpected collision at her threshold. Yet, as usual, he regained his composure very quickly, and the typical Castle-grin spread across his handsome face.

"Morning, Beckett."

"What the hell are you doing here, Castle?" she frowned at him, annoyed by both the fact that no matter what, he could snap into casual mode that easily, and that her plan concerning avoiding the talk with him for a little while was ruined.

"I've called you," he reasoned innocently. "Three times. But you didn't answer my calls, so I decided to come and see if you're all right. I was worried." He cast her a puppy look.

Damn, he was so cute with that look. She sighed. "Now that you see I'm okay, would you finally move and let me leave?"

Holding up his hands, he showed that he wasn't there to hinder her.

Acknowledging his obeyance, she gave him a satisfied look and closed the door behind her.

Castle was still standing aside, waiting for her to say something. Being right beside her, he could smell the fresh scent of her citrus shampoo. Always a fruity girl, he noted. All he would have liked to do in that moment was bury his nose into her soft hair, inhale her fresh scent, and check if her lip gloss's taste matched the fruity shampoo. He couldn't get last night's kiss out of his mind, and he longed for the feeling of her mouth on his again. Since having known that she deliberately let him win that game, he didn't fear that she would refuse another kiss.

"Are you going to stand there all day?" Her impatient question interrupted his pleasant train of thought. "There's work for me to do. You can have this day off; you would have liked that, after all."

"Nah, Beckett," he gave her a rapid reply, his eyes sparkling mischievously. "It was _ME_ who won that round, remember?" He emphasized the personal pronoun with a wide smirk. "Had _YOU_ been the winner, you could demand your day free of me now, but you weren't the lucky one, or am I wrong?" He was searching her eyes, utterly amused. He knew how much his words might annoy her, yet he was sure she wouldn't risk contradicting him, as that would have meant admitting cheating and, even more, the fact that she had wanted him to kiss her.

The same thoughts were flashing through her mind. Knowing she was trapped, moreover by herself, she frowned and started to walk down the corridor. His smugness and her defenselessness irritated her, but there wasn't a way to escape out of this situation.

On the way to the precinct, Rick couldn't help but keep glancing at her every other minute, the smile not fading off of his face.

"What?" Kate glimpsed at him with a frown, having enough of his sneaky glances.

He shook his head innocently. "Nothing."

She gave him a dirty look and stepped on the brake as the traffic light ahead switched to red.

"Come on, Castle, spill it." She glared at him.

He chuckled, holding up his hands in innocence. "I don't know what you're referring to."

She kept staring at him, her eyes dark in annoyance.

"Beckett," he nodded toward the traffic light, which was green again. "You should..."

"Shut up," she snapped at him, returning her attention to the road.

"I didn't even say anything," he sulked half-heartedly, amused by her behaviour.

After a minute of silence, Castle spoke again. "So, what are you doing tonight? A party with Lanie? Hitting a bar?"

Not happy with him being nosy about her free time, she rolled her eyes but didn't look at him.

"Not that it's any of your concern, but settling on my couch with a warm blanket, a cup of hot chocolate and watching TV."

Disappointed, he furrowed his brows in disapproval. "You can't be serious. It's New Year's Eve, hello? No one should spend the last night of the year at home, _especially_ alone."

"It's just another night," she shrugged, turning right to the precinct.

"You know, Beckett, I really don't like your approach to holidays," he admonished her.

"Suits you," she replied, pulling the car to a halt. "Now, move your butt and get out; work doesn't wait."

"Come on, Beckett, you can't be that antisocial!" Castle nagged her, following in her footsteps along the hallway.

"_Antisocial_?" she frowned. "I'm _not_ antisocial! I do have a social life," she protested.

"Parish socializes more with the bodies in the morgue than you do with living people," he noted. "The recent social events of your life were my poker-party, the Christmas party and the briefing in the case of that psycho-killer."

She glared at him.

"Surveys prove that 62% of people stay at home New Year's Eve, and 7% do not celebrate New Year's Eve at all," he was ranting. Kate didn't even glance at him, but sitting down, started arranging the papers on her desk. "You so belong to that 7%," he remarked, dropping himself on the chair he usually occupied.

"Save the silly statistics, Castle. You're not going to get anywhere with them. It's my life, and I live it the way I feel like."

"A boring one, right," he muttered.

"Oh, so now I'm boring," she snapped at him, her look sharp as a dozen knives.

"I didn't say you were boring, but the way you live," he retorted. "You should loosen up a bit and enjoy life. Going out and having fun wouldn't hurt you or the tough detective image."

"I don't need your advice," she noted, turning back to the paperwork in front of her.

"Beckett, you're no fun," he pouted. "Whatever, you're coming with me tonight."

"No," she refused his offer in an instant, fidgeting with her pen.

"That wasn't a question," he said flippantly. "And even if it was, there's only one right answer and that's not the one you gave."

"Which part of "no" did you not understand?" she looked him in the eyes.

"Do you want them to know about your defeat last night?" he smirked, glancing at Esposito and Ryan talking at their desk.

Her look could have killed him right there.

"Don't you dare..."

"It's up to you." His smug grin didn't fade.

Her eyes piercing his, she gave him a deadly glare.

"You're so going to regret this," she grumbled menacingly.

He chuckled. "Don't think so."


End file.
